Immigration boom hits Maritimes, lack of housing supply remains

New numbers from Statistics Canada point to the boom of immigrants to the Maritimes in the past five years. And while the growth is welcomed, challenges still persist in the region.

According to the report on immigration through the fourth quarter of 2022, the three Maritime provinces welcomed 28,147 immigrants. That’s up from 17,071 in 2021.

Nova Scotia had the highest welcome rate throughout the three Maritime provinces, with 12,644 immigrants arriving in the province in 2022.

In New Brunswick, their numbers are nearly five times of what they were in 2012, with 8,004 more residents welcomed than that time.

One of those who has helped that transition into their new life is Daniel Reto, who runs Red Latin Southwest New Brunswick, and who’s been working since 2021 to help Latin Americans find their way in the province.

He said that Saint John is significantly different from where it was from six years, pointing to its diversity throughout the Port City.

Last year his group helped over 50 families throughout the city, but he said that one of the largest burdens on the group is housing. A short supply of affordable units has made it difficult for those who come to the area.

“Housing was one of the biggest challenges we identified, especially when there’s a lot of students in the summer coming to the region,” he said.

“We have informed providers and (three) levels of government that they need to be transparent in doing by people.”

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International students have felt that crunch throughout the region.

One student, Moses Mogbolu, who came from Lagos, Nigeria, considers himself “lucky” to have found the apartment that he did. Help from the school secured the apartment, and he said that he’s hoping to one day be able to buy an apartment so he can bring his family to the region to live permanently.

“I’m a lucky person, I grabbed the opportunity. I even paid in advance where I was in Nigeria,” he said

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“I think it would be a better, wiser decision for me to buy my apartment as opposed to renting. If you have the willingness to buy an accommodation you should be able to do so — it’s for the greater good of the community.”